


Ancient Dreams in the Modern Age

by dontcryMasha



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Politics, modern hyrule
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-17
Updated: 2018-02-13
Packaged: 2018-09-09 08:29:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,824
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8883883
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dontcryMasha/pseuds/dontcryMasha
Summary: **UPDATE: I'm redoing this story to be clearer.**Hundreds if not thousands of years after the last known Legend of Zelda title, Hyrule has become a technologically advanced society with electricity, cars--even the internet! We find our hero, Link, as a humble mechanic, watching another heated election cycle unfold; Senator Zelda Kaepora against Mr. Ganondorf. It's merely entertainment for Link until he finds himself pulled into the chaotic mess of it all.





	1. Chapter 1

**“The Legend of Hyrule”**

  
  


Long ago, before space and time existed, the three Goddesses descended from the heavens to create Hyrule. When their work was done, they departed from the world, leaving three sacred triangles behind. These triangles were called the Triforce, and whoever holds the Triforce shall have their greatest desire granted. If their heart be evil, the land of Hyrule will grow dark and cruel; if their hurt be pure, a time of prosperity and peace will dawn.

In the early age, an evil and corrupt spirit rose forth and touched the Triforce. In the only attempt feasible to stop him, the goddess of time, Hylia, was born into a mortal form. This mortal form found a hero to join forces with her and stop the evil spirit. They were successful, but they also inadvertently bound their three souls together; one for each piece of the Triforce. The goddess holds the Triforce of Wisdom, the hero holds the Triforce of Courage and the evil one holds the Triforce of power. Time and time again will the evil spirit be reborn, and each time will the other two come into existence once more to fulfill their eternal fate.

However, it shall come to pass that one rotation of fate will include a fourth soul. When the evil king comes from the East, seeking the Triforce through means of diplomatic measures, a fourth soul will move between the worlds. This soul come in search of the Hero of Time, and they will  inevitably bear the Triforce of Power for this one lifetime. They will join forces with the Triforce of Wisdom to stop the evil king.

 

* * *

 

“ _ Senator Kaepora, how do you feel about the recent comments in social media that suggest your father’s presidency puts you at an unfair advantage?  _ ”

“ _ I believe that they are nonsense. I have worked hard and fair to become a senator. This has nothing to do with my father, President Gaebora.  _ ”

“ _ Do you think that’ll be enough to hush the frustrated masses  _ ?”

“ _ I would hope so, but my opponent’s supporters seem diligent to disrespect me regardless of anything I attempt to clarify. I speak merely to state the truth for those who wish to hear it.” _

“Hey, Link! She’s on TV!”

In the back office of an auto shop, a heavy man with a large, dark mustache stood in front of a boxy television. His hands, worn from no doubt many years of hard manual labor, were shoved into his pockets and his kind eyes looked over his shoulder to help carry his calls. Not long afterward did a young man appear. He was wearing a grungy navy technician’s uniform and a baseball cap that sported an E. Generous ruffles of blond hair jutted out from beneath the cap, and his brilliant blue eyes sparkled curiously. “Another interview?” he asked, staring at the screen.

“Yeah,” said the older man. “Something about Ganondorf’s followers giving her flack for being related to the president.”

“So what?” Link scoffed, rolling his eyes. Both men fell silent for a moment as they turned their ears back onto the television.

A woman of about forty sat in a stuffed chair, gracefully sporting a lavender suit. A golden brooch depicting the royal crest--the three sacred triangles and the ancient wings, sparkled on her lapel. Her long hair was done up in a bun and she focused her attention to her interviewer with intelligent determination.

“ _ Despite your adamancy that Mr. Ganondorf’s supporters are barbaric,”  _ the interviewer continued, “  _ How do you respond to the group of Gorons that vandalized a ‘Gerudo for Ganondorf’ office?  _ ”

“ _ Their violent acts are in no way affiliated with my campaign. I’m deeply sorry for the Gerudo and what those Gorons did to them. I also want to make it clear that the opinions of those Gorons do not reflect most of their kind…” _

“Yawn,” said Link. “Politics are frickin’ tedious.”

“Haha!” the other man laughed. “But you’re still watching anyway! You like that senator, don’cha?”

Link furrowed his brow and stared at the TV more intently. “I dunno, Talon. I wouldn’t say she’s unattractive but I also wouldn’t say she  _ is  _ . There’s just something about her I can’t put my finger on.”

“Don’t matter anyway, boy.” Talon chuckled. He turned the TV off by a little remote and flopped down onto a beaten up office chair. “You’re more likely to turn into a woman than get with her.”

Link frowned. “I don’t want to do either. Er, anyway…” He took a pair of keys from his pocket and tossed them at Talon, who was evidently his boss. “The Boro is done. No worries.”

“Atta boy. I’ll give them a call. If you don’t have anything left over, you can bring that hunk of crap you call a car into bay 2 for the thermostat.”

The young man sighed, quite possibly with intentional dramatics. “It’s not a hunk of crap, it’s a  _ classic  _ .”

“HAAA!”

A woman’s voice came chiming into the conversation now, and out popped a redhead from the same entrance Link came through. She was also wearing a navy uniform with a name tag that read “Malon.”

“It’s almost as old as  _ you  _ are, Link!” she chortled, wiping her grime-stained hands on a shop towel.

“ _ So  _ ? Plenty of great cars are old, that doesn’t mean they’re bad.”

Here, Talon turned his chair away so that he was facing a cluttered desk, muttering something to himself about “staying out of this one.”

“True,” said Malon, “But the Epona was only made for two years. People didn’t buy them for a reason.”

“Well, I love the old girl, I don’t care what you say! Now if you ‘xcuse me, I’m gonna put a new thermostat in her.”

“Sure, Link. Sure. See ya. Don’t come crying to me for any help with it.”

As he left the office, Link laughed over his shoulder, “Won’t need any, thanks!” Malon turned to her father and began to speak, but he told her to let it slide.

“Hunk of crap,” Link mumbled under his breath as he walked out of the bay doors and into the parking lot. It was a gas station with a three bay auto shop, just a humble joint on the corner of a little intersection. “Lon Lon Auto” read a peeling sign over the front door.

Link went around the side and got into a car, presumably his classic Epona, and backed it into bay 2. The car had only two bucket seats of flaking leather, manual windows and an orange paint job that should have stayed in the decade it came from. It was similar in appearance to a Delorean. A chrome “E” sat italicized on the broken grill.

“I think you’re just fine, old girl,” Link said to himself. He popped the hood and, less than an hour later, had the new thermostat installed. As he was pouring the old coolant back into the radiator, Talon came out of the office with his hands in his pockets.

“Done yet?” he asked.

“Damn! I beat the book and you still hassle me?”

“Kidding! Good job.”

“Yeah, right.” Link sighed. “Let me just tidy up a little and I’ll be on my way.”

It was anything but glorious, but Link was proud of the basement he rented. The family that owned that house was quite nice and pleasant to be around but also gave Link all the space he needed. He has his own entrance, a cozy bedroom and even a full bathroom. He didn’t have a real kitchen but a hot plate and mini fridge served him well. At 300 rupees a month, he couldn’t possibly argue about a thing.

After a quick shower, he flopped onto his bed and took out his phone. He had a message from Saria, a girl he had grown up with.

“Did you see the interview today?” she wrote.

“Little bit. Why?”

“I think she’s really interesting.”

“Guess so. I’m still not gonna vote.”

“What!”

Link sighed.  _ Here we go _ …

“Sorry,” he wrote back. “Just don’t think it matters.”

A few second passed with no answer and then his phone rang. It was, of course, Saria.

“Yeah?” Link said, answering the call.

“You can’t be serious,” Saria said. “We need every vote against Mr. Ganondorf we can get.”

“He’s a horrible person, there’s no way he can win.”

“I don’t know about that!” Saria said with a scared gasp. “Have you been watching the polls?  _ Somehow  _ he’s gaining ground! Did you hear what he said about the Lost Woods?”

Link paused for a moment. “....No.”

The Lost Woods was a big forest that surrounded the town where Link grew up. It was his favorite place to hang out with Saria when they were little.

“He wants to tear it down!” Saria groaned.

“Wait, why?”

“He says it’s a waste of space. Think about that, Link, and tell me you still won’t vote.”

“I...I dunno.”

“Hang up and I’ll text you the video of him saying it, okay?”

“Okay…”

He ended the call and waited for her next message. It was doubtful that anything could get him to vote, but thinking about the Lost Woods being destroyed certainly raised some negative feelings inside of him. 

Waiting for the video, he rolled onto him back and closed his eyes, allowing his thoughts to wander. He saw an eight year old version of himself, following little Saria into the woods as she smiled and waved back at him.

“This way, Link!” she called out. “I wanna show you what I found!”

“I’m coming!”

The Lost Woods was fun for kids because it was sort of like a maze. You could go around and around in it and end up in the same place. Lot sof the neighborhood kids would hang out there, but they wouldn’t go  _ too  _ far.

Saria slowed down suddenly and put her finger to her lips to be quiet. “Shh,” she said. “We aren’t supposed to go this way.”

They walked carefully through of the tunnels that went through the woods and ended up in another section, one that truly was a maze. 

“Where do you think this leads?” Saria whispered.

“I dunno,” said Link. “You found it but didn’t go further?”

“I couldn’t do it without you,” said Saria. She smiled at her young friend. “Let’s find out, okay?”

“Yeah!”

The went through the maze and eventually ended at an open space. There was a platform with the Triforce on it, and a door up high but the staircase that lead to it was broken. The building was extremely old looking.

“ _ Woah _ ,” Saria and Link exclaimed. 

“What is it?” Saria asked.

“No idea. Think we can get up there?’

Saria looked around. “I don’t think so. Wow, I didn’t even know this place existed.”

“We can’t let the other kids find out,” said Link. “They’ll get in there before we do!”

“And leave trash and graffiti everywhere.”

Saria walked over to the stone walls that surrounded the area and put her hand against it. 

“We can’t let that happen,” said Link. “This place is way cool.”

“ _ There are places in Hyrule that are dangerous for our children _ .”

Back in the present time, Link was playing the video that Saria sent him. Mr. Ganondorf was at a podium with clenched fists. He was a horrible looking man with mean eyes.

“ _ Just last week I was visiting the Kokiri. They have a forest in their backyard that harbors all sorts of dangerous animals! When I’m elected, we’ll tear down that forest and make it a safe place for our kids! _ ”

  
  
  



	2. Chapter 2

A gorgeous sky, both pink and dark, hung over a large castle. Small specks of black floated upwards towards the perpetual sunset, lending to the eerily peaceful scenery.

Within the palace was a luxurious bathroom with grey marble walls and a huge tub. Someone was sinking into the bath.

“Midna?”

A knock on the door, and the bather gave an exasperated sigh.

“Yes?” she asked, sticking a grey foot out over the lip of the tub.

“Your father and I are having our conference with the Hylian president soon. We want you to join us, remember?”

“Yes, yes,” Midna grovelled.

“I know you don’t want to, but these matters are important, especially if you are to hold the throne some day.”

“I know, I know. I’ll be out soon...just let me finish up.”

“Meet us at the Pedestals of Light.”

“Yes…”

It was difficult for Midna to enjoy her bath after that, try as she might. She soaped us as best as she could, then soaked for a bit before stepping out. She wrapped up in a towel and went to the large vanity mirror, where she pulled the tie out of her bright orange hair and let it fall down her chest. Frowning at her reflection, she brought her hair together just above her bust and secured it with a stone clasp. She then touched one of the many turquoise markings on her body, this one was on her arm, and suddenly there came a silent wave of black tendrils. They wrapped around one leg and up to her chest, forming to her body like skin. She swapped the towel for a long skirt, then fixed her makeup in the mirror. When she was finished, she adorn a cloak and left the bathroom, heading outside of the royal palace and to the Pedestals of Light, just in front.

Here, Midna met up with two other humanoids that looked like her. One had a long gown adorn with the same gear-like symbols on her skirt. She wore a veil that covered all of her face except for her mouth, and it was fitted with a diadem on top. The male wore a tunic that was mostly covered with a long, black cloak. His yellow hair was in a bun beneath a silver crown. 

“Come now, Midna,” said the man. “One day you will be the Queen of Twilight and these meetings with the President will be your duty.”

“I know…”

Midna stood between the two of them and they faced a space before them that began to glow with intricate symbols. Soon, a huge wheel of turning diagrams glimmered in the air.

“Let us go, Midna,” said the Queen of Twilight.

“Okay…”

They stepped forward and were immediately sucked into the light. They reappeared in a dark room. It wasn’t very large but it was tall--tall enough to hold a huge black stone. Outlines of white circles were twisting and turning like a projection on the stone, being reflected off of a mirror set up on the opposite side of the room. Stairs that were made up of lines as well glowed before them. The King and Queen of Twilight gracefully descended the stairs, followed by Midna. There was a Hyrulean man in a suit waiting at the foot of the steps for them. He smiled beneath his large, white beard.

“King Eveni and Queen Dawna,” he said, bowing graciously. “And is this Princess Midna?”

“Yes, Mr. President.”

Midna followed her parents onto the stone floor of the round room and curtsied. 

“Goodness, it’s been ages since I last saw you!”

“Indeed,” said Midna. 

“As you know,” said Queen Dawna, “We have long been training Midna for her eventual role as Queen. But with these risky situations, we thought it would be best to include her with our meeting.”

“A wise decision, no doubt,” said the Hylian president. “On that note, let us begin. What has changed since we last spoke?”

“Well,” King Eveni began, “It seems to me that we had just received complaints from our Twili having strange dreams.”

“That’s right,” said the president. “Something about an evil-looking man, correct?”

“Yes,” said Eveni. “These incidents have increased, and at an alarming rate. We have collected a better description of the man, as well.”

“Do tell.”

“He is tall, he has dark skin,” Queen Dawna explained, her mouth looking worried beneath the veil. “His hair is orange and he has a terrible grin.”

“That sounds like a Twili, doesn’t it?” Eveni asked.

“ _ Perhaps _ ,” the president said with considerable doubt. “What else?”

“Every report we have received is the same,” said the King. “They all tell us that this man is looking for convert acolytes. He claims to be a God from the Light realm, and that to keep peace in his world, it is necessary for the royal family of the Twili to be murdered.”

“Murdered?”

“Yes, that’s correct,” said Eveni. “Every last report has been identical.”

“That’s preposterous,” said the Hylian president. “How could anyone be foolish enough to believe that?”

“We can’t imagine any of the Twili could be,” said Dawna. “Our main concern is the origin of these dreams.”

“Hmm…”

The president put his chin in his hand and began to walk around the room, thinking hard. Midna shifted on her bare feet and gave a short sigh.

“I have some theories building,” said the Hylian. “I wish I could connect with my people like you can with yours.”

“Why not?” Midna asked. Her parents turned to her immediately, looking shocked that she spoke. She shrugged to her father.

“Midna, you were not asked to speak!” he gasped.

“No, it’s fine,” said the Hylian. “Our worlds are very different, mind you. Her time of diplomacy has barely begun and I expect her to question. Princess Midna, you are only barely of age, aren’t you?”

“That’s right.”

“Ah, yes. Well, you see, ages ago, the Light World agreed to keep the knowledge of the Triforce a secret. We no longer have kings and queens, but we have officials that are elected by the public. To keep matters less complicated--and to reduce the chances of abuse--we maintain a level of secrecy within Hyrule castle. Only the President of Hyrule knows about the Triforce, the true nature of the Goddesses, and also the Twilight Realm.”

“ _ You’re people don’t even know we exist _ ,” Midna sighed.

“It’s to protect us both,” said the President.

“I know, but still…”

“We are better off this way,” King Eveni added, smiling kindly to his daughter. “We will discuss this things further when we return home. As for now, President Gaebora, what do you suggest we do?”

“Stay alert,” said the Hylian president. “Keep a close eye on those Twili who have had the dreams. I’ll do all I can to investigate the source. I have work to do.”

“Understood,” said the King of Twilight. “Any further comments?”

“Just...just be sure to keep those powerful stones close, in case your people decide to turn against you. There’s no telling what they could do if they fell into the wrong hands.” 

“Yes,” Dawna agreed. She reached up to her diadem and touched the garnet jewel on the center. “We wouldn’t want that.”

“Is that all?” asked the president.

“I believe so,” said the King of Twilight.

“I appreciate you meeting with me,” said President Gaebora. “And, Princess Midna?”

“Yes.”

“A pleasure to see you. I hope you attend the next meeting as well.”

“Me, too.”

The three Twili returned to their realm through the portal.

“We are fortunate that the president of Hyrule is a generous and kind man,” said Queen Dawna. “Your sassy mouth could have gotten us in trouble!”

“Sorry,” said Midna. She stretched and yawned. 

“Oh, Midna,” said her father. “One day, you won’t tire of these issues. They will be your life. You’ll understand the seriousness of your role.”

“I already do!” Midna argued.

They walked back to the palace and her parents offered to discuss the differences between the light and twilight realms, but she declined, saying she was too tired from travel. She departed to her room and sat on her bed, looking out the window and staring at the placid, eternal sky of twilight.

“What I want to know,” she thought to herself, “Is why we can’t see more of the Light Realm. Not just some dumb stone room with the Mirror.”

She lay back on her bed and closed her eyes.

“At least I’m not dreaming about the evil-looking man. Maybe he’s scared of me.”

Sleep began to creep over her.

“Maybe I’ll have dreams of my future King of Twilight. Yeah…”

“MIDNA!!!!”

A blood curdling scream suddenly woke her up. She sprang out of bed and ran out of her room, looking around frantically. 

“HELP!”

It was the voice of her mother and it came from the royal chambers. Midna zoomed down the hallway and busted down the door to her parents’ bedroom. Her father was collapsed on the floor, and her mother was pinned against the wall behind a small, round Twili--their chambermaid, Dusket.

“Dusket!! What are you doing!” Midna called out, but her mother looked at her in terror.

There was something funny in Dusket’s little hands. It was Queen Dawna’s diadem.

“Don’t get hurt, Midna!” Dawna screamed. 

Saying nothing, Dusket grinned at Midna, then lunged at her mother with the diadem. A giant burst of bright red shapes spewed forth from the jewel, and the Queen of Twilight dropped to the ground as she was engulfed by ancient power.

“Stop!” Midna yelled. Acting quickly, she jumped onto Dusket, clawing desperately for the diadem. Dusket may have had one of the most powerful stones in the Twilight Realm, but she was still a weak, old, and small Twili. Midna beat her until she was able to grab the diadem. Unfortunately, Dusket also had the gem from King Eveni’s necklace. 

Panicking once more, Midna held the diadem close and summoned a twilight portal. This made her appear outside again, just in front of the Pedestals of Light. Another black portal appeared, and Dusket popped out.

“Where are you running off to, little Midna?” she asked. “Come here, come here. I won’t hurt you one bit!”

“No!” Midna screamed. 

She clutched the diadem to her chest and flung herself through the turning symbols in the air, coming through to the stone room in Hyrule again. 

President Gaebora was already gone and the room was black. There was no sound except for a faint hum from the Mirror of Twilight’s reflection on the portal stone. Midna was able to pass through the portal because she was royalty, but no other Twili could.

“Unless they have one of the stones!” Midna gasped to herself. 

With the King’s necklace, Dusket would be able to come into the Light world--but without Midna back home, there was no telling what Dusket might do to her own people. Having to decide quickly, Midna ran to the Mirror of Twilight and shattered it into millions of tiny pieces--something only the true royal line could do, regardless of powerful gemstones. 

What could she do now? The Mirror of Twilight--the only window between the Light and Twilight realms, was now broken and she was to blame. Her parents were probably dead, and for some bizarre reason, her chambermaid was running wild with unbridled power. Midna did everything she could, right? She had no other choice! Now, she was stuck in the Light world, and she was feeling it. Even the royal family of the Twili can only survive in Hyrule as their true selves for so long. 

Looking down at the diadem, she held it close and muttered a few archaic words. Her body faded into a shadow, she melted to the ground and tried to the slip beneath the door, but the seal was tight and she remained in the room.


	3. Chapter 3

“Mr. President, there’s an issue in the Forbidden Chamber.”

“ _ What? _ ”

President Gaebora was awoken in the middle of the night by one of his security agents.

“What’s the matter?” he asked, reaching for his glasses on the nightstand. He turned on a lamp.

“We--don’t know,” the agent admitted. “You’ve got to come there immediately.”

“Of course, of course.”

Fumbling around at first, the President of Hyrule was able to pull himself together, dress and quickly leave his quarters. Followed closely by his agent, Gaepora hastened down a long hallway and three flights of stairs, putting them below ground level. He unlocked a metal door with a keypad and passed into a dark room, where he used another keypad to enter the only door.

“I may ask you to wake my daughter,” the president said, “For I’m afraid she could be of use depending on the situation.”

“Yes, sir.”

They came to a circular room, not terribly big but large enough to comfortably fit a table with two chairs beside a single reinforced steel door. Standing by were two more agents, looking relieved to see the president.

“What has happened?” Gaepora asked harshly, furrowing his grey brow.

“We don’t know,” one of the new agents said. He was clearly flustered.  “We were standing at our post as usual when there was a  _ shattering  _ sound within the Forbidden Chamber.”

“ _ What?! _ ” The President gasped. His eyes immediately fell to the door and his upper lip twitched. “Did you hear anything else?!”

The last agent, a thin woman, nodded quickly. These people were clearly of a stoic nature given their duties--guarding one of the three secret rooms of Hyrule Castle’s grounds was reserved for only the highest ranking agents--but they were utterly terrified.

“A few knocks on the door,” she explained. “Desperate and loud, but then all noise ceased. That was it.”

President Gaepora closed his eyes and took a deep breath as if to center himself. “I see,” he said, surprisingly calm. He approached the door and lightly touched the knob with his thumb.

“Is it,” the agent who arrived with him hesitated to ask, “Safe for you to enter?”

“At this point, I cannot be sure.” The president looked at his agents and smiled. “But this is a job that only I can have. I would ask the three of you to leave this room as to not violate your security clearances.”

“Yes, sir…”

Nervous to leave their president alone in a potentially dangerous situation, the three agents excused themselves as was required. They waited in the darker room outside as President Gaepora pressed his thumb to a digital screen above the knob, entered a code and waited for the door to unlock. A cranking and a shifting, then a loud metallic scrape and he pushed the door open.

“Who is in here?” he called out, taking a few steps into the dark room. His voice echoed. “Hello? Show yourself. I am the President of Hyrule and I am no stranger to your people.”

His fourth step set off a motion-activated light at the top center of the room. It slowly glowed on, illuminating the large round room where he had met with the Twilight royalty just a few hours prior. The giant black portal stone, as if made of jet or obsidian, stood up along one edge of the room, just barely nudging the ceiling. In front of it was a smaller metal object which once held the Mirror of Twilight Upon the ground was a mess of shattered black glass.

President Gaepora froze in his tracks upon seeing the broken pieces. He silently muttered, “No,” as he tried desperately to maintain composure. “Who has done this?!” he yelled, breath beginning to quicken. He looked around rapidly. “Who is in this room now?!”

In the corner of his eye, he saw a shadow dash across the floor. He turned immediately towards the door. “Stay in here!” he shouted angrily. “Don’t you dare leave!”

Before he could slam the door shut, the shadow slipped out.

“Gaah!” he yelped, stumbling as he pursued it.

He came back into the guard’s room and slammed the steel door shut, making sure to lock it behind him. His dark eyes scanned the room erratically but stopped when he saw the bottom of the exit. That door wasn’t as secure. The shadow had gone beneath it.

“Gaah!”

President Gaepora burst through that door, startling his agents. Beads of sweat were starting to show upon his forehead.

“Mr. President?” the first agent said, staring at him in shock. “What’s happened?”

“Did you--haa--see anything?! Just now?!”

The agents exchanged confused glances. “Only you.”

“Goodness,” Gaepora gasped, still looking around frantically. “Wake my daughter. I need her. Now.”

“Yes, Mr. President.”

The first agent took the intercom pinned to his chest and spoke into it. “Officer Impa to ZK’s quarters, Officer Impa to ZK’s quarters. Bring Miss Senator down to the Forbidden Chamber immediately.”

Not a minute passed when the device buzzed back in a deep female voice. “ _ 10-4. _ ”

“This is terrible,” the president said. He began to pace in the hallway. “This could possibly threaten our entire land.”

The agents looked at each other with wide eyes. They dared not ask any questions, though. The president scratched the large bald spot on the top of his head.

“It’s impossible to tell.  _ Impossible  _ to tell. We must tell the people somehow.”

“But how?” the first agent asked softly. “Not even your most trusted security personnel know what lies within the Forbidden Chamber. How can we tell all of Hyrule what’s wrong?”

The president closed his eyes in frustration. “Valid question, very valid question. And I know not the answer. Perhaps my daughter will be of assistance, though...though we  _ must  _ tell them somehow.” He looked at the first agent and nodded. “Declare a state of emergency.”

“State of emergency? But what do we tell them? How do we explain the problem?”

“We don’t. Just declare it. And do it now, thank you.”

“Um, yes sir…”

The agent left just as Officer Impa and Gaepora’s daughter arrived. She was not as prim and proper as she looked in the interview earlier, but Senator Zelda Kaepora maintained a regal pose even in her bathrobe.

“What’s wrong, father?” she asked.

“I have to speak with you alone.”

“What? What’s happened?”

The president went back into the guard room and motioned for his daughter. “Come through. Agents, remain vigilant and aware of anything unusual.”

“Yes, sir.”

President Gaepora closed the door behind him and pointed at the table where the agents would sit guard. “Take a seat.”

Zelda sat down and her father joined her. She stared at him worriedly. “What’s the matter?” she asked.

“I’m afraid I have to violate the most sacred oath,” he said softly. “When I took office, I swore that I would never tell a soul what was beyond that steel door. If you win the election, you will take the same oath.”

“I may not win, father.”

“I understand this,” the president said, wincing, “But a tremendous disaster has occurred and I am without options. My daughter…” he turned to Zelda and took her left hand, looking in her eyes gravely. “Promise me that you will do all in your power to help, and that you shall  _ never  _ repeat a word that I am to tell you now?”

“I promise,” Zelda said, nodding solemnly. Gaepora squeezed the top of her hand and sighed.

“Do you remember the stories I told you as a child?” he asked. “The ones that spoke of the Goddesses of old, of the Triforce.”

“Yes, of course. The legends behind our crest.”

“That is correct.” The president sighed heavily. “They are not just legends, but rather our sacred--and secret--history.”

Zelda was at a loss of words but she remained her composure. Her lips pressed together and she suppressed all sounds of surprise.

“I understand that this is a bizarre and intense truth to reveal, and on such short notice too,” Gaepora continued, “But I don’t have time to give you every detail, which I’m sure you would savor. If you win this election, there will be time enough to know. However, this brings us to our issue at hand. You see, the world we live in is not the only. We make our home in the Light World, but another is out there--the Twilight Realm.”

“Twilight…?”

“Yes. It is a realm that they created an impossibly long time ago. A strange race of magical beings live there called the Twili. They keep to themselves and, these days, mean to harm. It is part of my job as president of Hyrule--president of the Light World, as they address me--to maintain relations with them. Within that door,” he let go of Zelda’s hand and pointed there, “Is the only means of communicating with the Twili.”

“How is that so?”

He stood up and waved for his daughter to follow. “The Twili do not thrive well in the Light World. They exist merely as shadows, unless they have a special object. If we pass into the Twilight Realm, we exist merely as spirits. That is unless  _ we _ possess a special essence--something that is not an important detail at this moment. It allows us from the Light World to pass into the Twilight Realm as our mortal selves. I have regular meetings with the King and Queen of that realm. I use what is called the Mirror of Twilight, the only door to enter the Twilight Realm…”

He unlocked the steel door once more and they both passed through. The motion sensor light glowed and Zelda stood in amazement at the giant stone. “What is that?” she asked.

“The Portal Stone which the Mirror of Twilight reflects against to open the doorway.”

Zelda’s sight fell to the shards upon the ground. “And that, surely that isn’t the Mirror of Twilight?”

“I’m afraid it is,” President Gaepora sighed.

“Who did this?”

“I don’t know.”

“How?”

“Somehow, a Twili has opened the portal from the other side and shattered the Mirror, making it impossible for me to contact the King and Queen.”

“Then that Twili is in the Light World?”

“Yes, wandering as a shadow. I have seen them, but they slipped away…”

Zelda swallowed tightly, still staring at the shattered pieces of the Mirror. She stepped to it cautiously and knelt down, touching the shards. “How strange,” she whispered.

“You are taking this surprisingly well,” Gaepora sighed.

“Well, I’m honored that you feel confident enough in me to give such a secret away.”

“That I am. Thank you.”

“But I see how terrible this is,” Zelda said. “We have a Twili wandering our world now. We don’t know why they are here, why they left the Twilight world and why they broke the Mirror. We can’t ask the King and Queen of the Twili and we can’t tell our people how severe this is. Can we ask them to look for a shadow, or would that give it away?”

“I’m not sure, I’m not sure...I think that would be fine, but…”

* * *

 

“Are they live yet?”

Link came bumbling into work a few minutes late, only to find Malon and Talon huddled around the TV again. They were glued to a news channel.

“What, Senator Kaepora on  _ again _ ?” Link asked. Malon looked over her shoulder without a single hint of humor in her expression.

“No,” she said softly. “The president declared a state of emergency.”

“Huh? Why?”

Link sat down in one of the crappy chairs against the wall and tried to look between the people at the screen.

“They haven’t said, but apparently it happened around 2am, and Gaepora’s supposed to speak about it any minute.”

“2am?”

Link stared blankly at the screen. Malon looked back, too. A news anchor was speaking quickly, reading from a paper he was holding. “ _ We now bring you to President Gaepora, speaking live from Hyrule Castle. _ ”

“What the heck is--”

Malon hissed over Link’s loud question. “Shut up! I wanna hear him!”

The news desk disappeared and instead came a streaming video of Hyrule Castle’s front gates. A sturdy wooden door, wide enough for several people to pass through standing side-by-side, sat between massive pearly white stone. A podium with the Hylian crest sat in the middle of the screen, security agents flanking either side. Link cleared his throat and swallowed any further questions.

Soon enough, President Gaepora stepped up to the podium. He was wearing a suit and sweating profusely. He put a clipboard in front of him. No matter how hard he tried, their graceful and poised president was undeniably riddled with anxiety and fear. Soon enough, all of Hyrule would be aware.

“My fellow Hylians,” the president began, “Zora, Goron, and all other creatures and races under the light of our sky...I come to you this morning with an urgent plea. As my loyal and loving people, I only wish I could explain this message deeper, but alas I cannot. What I ask of you all today is that you tread carefully through the world. Take note of strange occurrences around you. If anything may seem out of normalcy, please report it to the Hyrule guard immediately. I urge you all to be extra cautious; we would rather you overestimate than not. Listen to those around you, and look for strange movements...and odd shadows…”

For a moment, he looked up from the clipboard and straight into the camera, so as to stare directly at the viewer. Link shifted in his seat uneasily.

“I assure you,” the president continued, “That we are fine. All will be sorted out quickly. Thank you.”

He left the podium and the news caster came back, looking rather stunned. “ _ Well there you have it, folks. We’re fine.” _

“It’s creepy,” said Malon. She turned to her father then looked over at Link. “The president was really upset. I’ve never seen him like that.”

“Don’t you worry, baby girl,” Talon reassured her. “Nobody’s gonna bother us. Right, Link?”

Link didn’t answer. He was still fixed on the TV, but he wasn’t listening to the news. 

“I’m just going to get started on work…”

Link carried on throughout the day with a weird feeling in his stomach. Business was slow, and it was apparent that people were staying indoors after President Gaepora’s warning. Rush hour started early. Most offices were let out after his announcement. Link changed a few cars’ oil then spent most of his time staring at his phone, wondering about the current events. He was hoping Senator Zelda would speak, but nothing of the sort happened.

Finally, Talon decided he would close the shop and let Link go home. Malon offered to grab a bite to eat with him, but when Link declined she agreed that it might be a good idea. “I thought we could try to distract ourselves, but maybe we should just stay in.”

Link gave a quick nod before getting into his Epona. At least it was safe inside there, and always reliable. Well, as reliable as an old machine could be.

He made it home and went straight to his basement apartment. After a brisk shower, he sat on the edge of his bed and perused his favorite news site from his phone. Still nothing more about the state of emergency, though it remained in effect. Hashtag SOE (state of emergency) was starting to trend on social media, no thanks to the Zora princess.

“@PrincessRuto: Gaepora upsets everyone with a #SOE but doesn’t say why. Typical Hylian!”

Link chuckled to himself as he read the post. The Zoras were cool, but their princess was annoying. Her name often conjured words like “bitch” and “brat” in conversations with Talon.

And, of course, Mr. Ganondorf had to join in the discussion; “A Ganondorf presidency will never declare a #SOE without giving details! A vote for me is a vote for openness.”

“What a world,” Link muttered. He turned off his phone’s screen and set it aside, then looked over to the basement door. The sun was going down, and golden light rippled through the glass. It was funny how the world was going crazy over the president’s announcement, yet nature didn’t care. The sun still set on time and the plants continued to grow. It made no difference to them.

He got up and walked over to the door so he could look out better. He was still thinking about Saria’s comments the night before, and how Mr. Ganondorf wanted to level the Lost Woods. 

Link opened up the door and took a few steps out onto the patio. The people who owned the house took really good care of the yard. It was nicely manicured with pretty flowers and decorations. He looked at the ground and thought about all the good times he had with Saria in the Lost Woods. They never did figure out what was in that building. Maybe he could take a little vacation and finally check it out before it got demolished. Was that being irrational?

“Hey Saria, are you home yet?” Link texted her.

“No. School is still two more weeks. Why?”

“I thought I’d make a little trip out your way.”

“Wait two more weeks.”

“Okay.”

Link turned off his phone and frowned to himself. Well, the election would be over by then, but even if Mr. Ganondorf won, he wouldn’t be able to do anything like that in his first few days in office, right?


	4. Chapter 4

“Time off?” Talon groused. “You’ve gotta be kiddin’ me, boy!”

“Why? It’s dead slow.”

“Yeah, but this time a year ain’t normally slow! It’s gonna pick up any day now!”

While the business owner argued with Link, Malon was leaning up against the door between the office and the bays as she passively turned a worn wheel bearing in her hands. “You’re being unreasonable, dad.”

“How so?”

“I just want to take a few days to go down memory lane,” said Link. “Some stuff where I grew up that I’m sort of worried about. That’s all. Figured with traffic being light because of the state of emergency, it might be easy to get down there.”

Talon looked at Link, then over to his daughter, who was shaking her head slowly. “Fine, fine,” Talon finally gave up. “I guess I’ll cover any extra business that might come in while you’re gone. How many days are ya gonna be?”

“Just one night, man! Is that fair?”

“Yeah, yeah. You do what you gotta do. But if we get really busy, you’d better hurry your hide back up here, boy!”

“You can count on me! Thanks, boss!”

Link gave Talon a thumbs up before he walked over. Malon waved over her shoulder. “Take it easy,” she said.

“Yep!”

He jumped into his Epona and went zooming down the road. He didn’t tell Talon, but he was already packed for his journey and ready to go. He didn’t tell Saria, either, since she wanted him to wait. For some reason, he felt like keeping it a secret. Maybe he felt like a dummy because he initially didn’t think it was a big deal. Either way, he was going home and he had a backpack full of gear to explore with.

Kokiri Forest was a quaint community that sat south of the city. It was mostly inhabited by a strange race of Hylian-like people called the Kokiri. The last two decades had been pivotal for them and their civil rights, since they were now able to attend university--where Saria now was. 

A few hours drive brought Link back to the street he grew up on. It was a weird feeling. He hadn’t been there in ages, but nothing had changed. Unlike the Hylians, the Kokiri remained children their entire lives. 

Link made his way into the Lost Woods where he left his Epona and carried on foot. Every turn brought him further and further back into his childhood. There were the boulders they liked to climb on, the field of tall grass they would look for yellow flowers in, the tree stump that they would stand up on and make funny poses. The image of Saria running and laughing was at every bend in the forest. 

He eventually came to a hedge maze. Once upon a time, it was maintained somewhat by older Kokiri, but whoever kept tabs on that work was gone. The vines and grasses ruled now, but Link still knew the way. He could almost feel the forest breathing around him. His footsteps pressed into the vegetation and blended into it like he was an artery lining up with a huge circulatory system. He knew where the secret shrubs were, and just the right spot to slip through. This took him to “the courtyard” as they called it. 

Four stone walls seemed to come from nowhere. The Lost Woods managed to camouflage them completely until you climbed through the thicket. This was the special place that Link and Saria were the first to discover--the first since it was built, at least. Nobody knew that there was a temple within the forest. Nobody knew about the mysteries within it.

Unchanged all those years, except for thicker overgrowth, Link stood in the open space surrounded by old stone walls. The door to the building was out of reach as it always had been, with the hint of a staircase, long destroyed by any number of things.

“Still the same,” Link whispered to himself.

He scanned the surroundings for a possible way up. When he and Saria were little, it was entirely impossible for them to get inside but now, Link saw a way in.

There was a tree that grew up the wall and reached into the ancient threshold. The branches had grown out enough for him to make a rope knot, catch it on the tree then pull it tight and climb up, and he did just that. Years of working on cars kept Link as the risk taker he always was, but his brain had been cultivated to figure out any puzzle set before him.

The threshold lead to a proper door. He looked around for a sign or something that explained where he was, but there was nothing to be found. He opened the old door and came down a hallway which lead to a big, open room. It smelled like warm dirt and memories. The building was closed now, so no light source made it pitch black. Link took a few steps forward and listened to the echo--it was a large room.

Wump…

“Hello?”

He knew he had heard something move. It was probably rats.

Wump…

Or maybe it was a shadow.

Link momentarily thought about the recent State of Emergency, but he immediately blocked the thoughts out. He took out his phone and turned on the flashlight to get a look around. There were many more doors, most of which had steps going to them. There were empty torches around the center.

“Cool,” Link said to himself. He walked around, inspecting the ancient ruins with a smile. “I’ll have to bring Saria back here when she gets home.”

Wump…

There it was again! The noise was on the other side of one of the doors. Link didn’t even have to question what he would do. 

That next door went down a set of stairs and into a smaller room. It was cold and again, only lit by Link’s phone. 

As he turned around to see the whole room, he saw elaborate frescoes on the wall.

“Woah!” Link exclaimed. “Way cool!”

Instead of looking at them too deeply, he took pictures of them as he walked sideways. The Triforce, the mythological symbol of Hyrule, made several appearances.

_ “What do you think? _ ” came a man’s voice out of nowhere. Link jumped and turned his phone to the right.

“Hey, you’re--”

“Mr. Ganondorf, that’s right.”

The tall, wicked looking man extended a large hand to Link. He grinned ear to ear.

“Uh, nice to meet you?” Link said, shaking the hand. Mr Ganondorf kept him between his fingers a little too long for comfort. “Um…”

“Wondering why I’m here?” Mr Ganondorf asked. “I could ask the same for you, but I think I already know.”

He pointed to the painted walls.

“Here to confirm your destiny as well?”

“I’m just checking the place out,” said Link. “I grew up around here.”

“Of course, of course.”

Mr Ganondorf put his chin in his hand.

“What’s your name, young man?”

“Link.”

“Interesting…”

“I guess…?”

“Look, Mr Link. I am a reasonable person so I would like to extend an offer to you; how about you join my campaign? Only two weeks left, but I think you could help me out.”

“Er, sorry, uh...sir. I’m an auto tech. I’m not made for a politics.”

“My final offer.”

Link shook his head, feeling incredibly uneasy about the whole situation. Mr Ganondorf kept his eyes fixed on the wall.

“Well, anyways...it was nice to meet you, Mr Ganondorf, but I gotta go.”

“Of course.”

The man turned to Link slowly and grinned once more.

“We will meet again. And I will remember that you turned down my offer.”

As Link walked out of the room, back up the steps and as far away from Mr Ganondorf as he could get, he felt like something was following him.

* * *

 

“WHAT. THE. FUCK!!!”

Link could not get out of the temple fast enough. He really wanted to stay and check out the whole thing, but running into Mr Ganondorf was way too creepy. He sprang out of the temple and came back through the Lost Woods. He made it to his Epona and took a seat, immediately locking the door.

Knock knock.

“Hey, Link!”

It was Efi, one of the Kokiri girls he went to school with. 

“It’s been so long! Is something wrong? You look like you have seen a ghost.”

Faking a smile, Link rolled down his window and gave a thumbs up.

“Everything is cool. Came to see Saria but I guess I goofed up on when she’d be home.”

“Yeah, she’s still at school.”

“Uh huh. Sorry about that. I’ll have to come back and catch up some other time, okay?”

“Okay...we would love to spend time with you again.”

Still in a daze, Link started the car and sped off. He wasn’t going to spend the night, even after the argument with Talon. He felt greasy and grimy from talking to Mr Ganondorf. What was he doing there? What did he mean about destiny? And why did he want Link to work on his campaign?!

“Right, the frescoes…”

Link finally made it home and nestled into his bed. The couple hour’s drive practically didn’t exist. All he could think about was how  _ creepy  _ that was. Mr Ganondorf had been sitting in that room, all by himself in the dark. Who does that? Part of him was expecting to run into the candidate again, but he wasn’t so unlucky.

He opened up his phone gallery and scrolled through the pictures of the temple walls. 

The drawings started with the Triforce. A dark shape had hands reaching out towards the golden triangles, but then two people stopped him. The three figures became red, green and blue, and they turned into pieces of the Triforce.

It then showed Hyrule castle, but it wasn’t as built up. Beside it was another castle. It was pointy and black. The red figure that was first taking the Triforce was now between Hyrule and the dark castle. The blue and green people came back, and a second red one showed up. The three of them joined together to make the Triforce against the other red figure. 

There was more to the frescoes, but Link stopped taking pictures there because he was interrupted by Mr Ganondorf’s creepy appearance.

“That’s  _ weird _ .”

Just like when he had a car problem he couldn’t figure out on his own, Link decided to poke around the internet for possible answers by throwing some phrases out there.

“Old temple in Kokiri Forest”

“Hyrule ruins”

“Ancient frescoes in Kokiri Forest”

Nothing was proving to be useful, but he had pictures so he knew it was real. Since nobody else seemed to know about it, he decided to post of the shot online.

“Weird Hyrule history” he wrote. “Anybody know what this is about?”

* * *

 

“There’s no such thing as shadows that wander!” 

The Zora princess, ever-so conceited, sat beside her father’s throne with her phone in her hands. King Zora wasn’t sure what to do about the State of Emergency or how to handle his own peoples’ reactions to it. Unfortunately, asking his daughter for assistance wasn’t much help.

“Now, Ruto dear,” he told her, “We’ve maintained a fabulous relationship with the Hylian government for ages. We don’t need your little attitude to ruin it.”

“It’s not an attitude and I’m not ruining it!” Princess Ruto snapped. 

She got up in a hurry and went storming out the back door to a place called Zora’s Fountain. It was sort of like a water garden. Princess Ruto liked to go there and take selfies, but also to be alone. She may have been a brat, but she was also somewhat aware of the fact that Zora’s Domain would one day be hers.

“This is ridiculous,” she muttered to herself.

“Is it?”

A mysterious female voice caused Ruto to jump.

“Who’s there?!” she yelled.

“As one princess to another,” the voice continued, “The higher-ups don’t always know what’s right. Let’s stick together, okay?”

“Who the fuck is there?”

Ruto looked around with a frantic frown. She held her phone close.

“I’m having trouble getting around in this state,” the voice continued. “I have to move around entirely on feelings. There are strong ones here. Can you help me?”

“I don’t know what’s going on out here!” Ruto shouted. She shook her head. “I can’t help anybody out! We are Zoras, we aren’t the Hylian government!”


	5. Chapter 5

“Has there been any activity?”

“Still no reports. No incidents. No questions…”

President Gaebora was in his office, hands together and looking out of the window behind his desk while one of his agents briefed him on the latest developments regarding the State of Emergency.

“What sources are being scoured?” he asked.

“All main forms of social media, internet searches, newspapers and any publication that is accessible. We are all just as discouraged as you are, sir.”

“Of course…”

The look of worry had not left the president’s face ever since his public address. He had hoped for something-- _ anything _ \--to help give answers on the supposed Twili that was now running amok in the Light Realm. With the election now less than two weeks away, the chances of a sabotage were higher than usual.

“How is security around building one?”

“Doubled.”

“Triple it.”

“Will do. What else shall we do?”

President Gaebora took a deep breath. He closed his eyes momentarily as he searched for further ideas.

“Nothing for now. Thank you.”

The agent left Gaebora’s office and promptly headed to building one. There were three top secret buildings situated in and around Hyrule castle; building three was beneath the castle, and it held the Portal Stone and Mirror of Twilight. Building two was on the east side of the castle, and it held several objects sacred to the Hylians. Lastly, building one, where the agent was now headed, was behind the castle. It was called the Temple of Time, and within its walls was the Triforce. Nobody but the Presidents of Hyrule knew the contents of all three buildings, with the exception of Zelda.

“Strange…”

The senator had been digging around in old lore books from the castle library. She was taking extensive notes and cross-referencing every database she had access to, curious to see if there was anything outside of Hyrule castle that knew about the legends.

“What’s this?”

She came across a social media post that showed a shaky picture of frescoes. There was an old painting of the Triforce, and a dark figure beneath it reaching up to grab the sacred triangles.

“ _ Weird Hyrule history. Anybody know what this is about? _ ”

Zelda clicked on the username, TheLastEpona, and pulled up an incomplete profile that said his name was Link and he worked in the automotive field. Zelda immediately called up her father on the internal line.

“I’m sending you a page that you need to look at,” she said.

“What is it?”

“I found something. Some person named Link posted a picture online that looks like ancient drawings of the Triforce. It’s sending now.”

“Let me see, let me see…”

President Gaebora opened up his tablet and went to his private e-mail. He pulled up the link and saw the photo Zelda had described.

“Goodness…”

“Where do you think this was taken?”

“I don’t know,” said the president. “Send it off to be investigated. Our tech department will be able to track it, right? I believe they can find the satellite coordinates of where it was taken.”

“I CC’d them when I sent it to you. We’ll have answers shortly.”

“Zelda, we need to make contact with this Link fellow.”

* * *

 

Link was growing paranoid. He didn’t tell Talon that he already came home from Kokiri Forest. Instead, he kept looking at his news feed to see if anybody had commented on his photo of the frescoes. Nothing yet, but that creepy feeling of being watched wouldn’t go away.

“Just need some air,” he said to himself, turning off his phone and taking a break outside. 

It was the middle of the night and the air was brisk. The city was eerily quiet, as it had been since the State of Emergency was declared. People were scared to leave their houses, especially at night.

Link looked up at the sky. Dozens of stars were staring down at him. He took another deep breath and thought about Mr Ganondorf. Maybe, just maybe, he would have to reconsider voting in the election. Senator Kaepora was super cool after all, and she hadn’t mysteriously shown up in Link’s life. 

“You there, I think you’re who I am looking for!”

Link suddenly heard a voice from behind him. It wasn’t Mr Ganondorf, but a female sound he didn’t recognize. 

“Hello?”

He turned around and looked back into his room. The light by his bed was on but he didn’t see anybody in there.

“ _ Hello? _ ”

“Hey!”

Something dark moved across the floor and Link clenched his jaw. There was no way a person followed him inside when he came home--was he so distracted by the night sky that he didn’t notice someone sneaking in behind his back?

“I think you’re him…”

“Who’s there?”

Cautiously, Link stepped back inside his room, closing the door behind him. They may have gotten in without him seeing, but nobody was going to leave as easily!

“I can sense something funny about you,” the voice said. 

Link flipped the switch to the overhead light, revealing a round shadow on the ground.

“What the hell?” Link cursed. “What is that?”

The shadow elongated up against the wall, turning into the shape of a woman. It was a shadow, just like President Gaebora had warned against!

“What the hell!” Link yelled, louder and angrier this time. “I’m calling the cops, or uh, the president! Or something.”

“What? Why?!”

“You’re the bad guy that the president was talking about!”

Link stumbled over himself as he reached for his cellphone. He wasn’t even sure who to call.

“You’re--you’re bad! You’re the whole reason--damn, I don’t know!!”

His thoughts scrambled around and centered on one of the frescoes he saw--the dark shape.

“Hey, stop that!” the voice snapped. “Calm down! I’m not bad. It’s _ my  _ people who are in trouble. You need to relax.”

Link picked up his phone and pulled up the keypad, but he hesitated to call anybody. Instead, he was watching the shadow on the wall. She put her hands on her hips.

“Look, whoever you are.”

“Link.”

“ _ Link _ . My name is Midna, and I am the princess of the Twili.”

“The who of the what?”

Midna sighed.

“It doesn’t matter,” she said. “What’s important is that I need your help, okay?”

“How do I know you aren’t going to hurt me?”

“First of all, I’m stuck as a shadow in your world, as you can tell. I couldn’t hurt you if I wanted to! Try to touch me, you won’t be able to do anything.”

“I’ll take your word for it,” Link said softly, narrowing his eyes.

“Well then, now that that’s of the way...like I said, I need your help. Long story short, something very, very bad happened to my people and now I’m trapped here. I guess I’m looking for the president of Hyrule. I know him. But it’s hard for me to get around in this form. I’m not able to see very well. I can move quickly but I have to rely on emotions and feelings...I found him earlier but I lost the feeling, now I’m off course...does that make sense?”

“Sure…?”

“Great!” Midna clapped her hands together. “So let’s go find the president!”

“Wait, why would I want to get involved?” Link asked. “If you gotta find the president, I can tell you where he is, but he doesn’t know  _ me _ . I can’t help. Why are you here, talking to me?”

“Because I felt like you were important.”

“How so?”

Midna gave a great, exasperated sigh. 

“Link, Link, Link...I don’t think this is my place to explain, but I’m not from Hyrule. I’m not even from the Light Realm. I’m from the Twilight Realm. It’s a totally different dimension from here.”

“Wha?”

Link sat down on his bed and looked at his hands. His phone had timed out and the screen was off. This was too weird, especially on top of Mr Ganondorf and the ancient drawings.

“If you’re from a different dimension,” he said slowly, “How do you know the president of my world?”

“Because we talk. He talks with my...parents. With my parents. But it’s a secret to you all. It’s a secret because we have vowed to keep the Triforce safe.”

“That stupid little symbol on the Hylian crest?”

Midna giggled. Her shadow swooped down from the wall and crawled up onto the bed beside Link, who tensed up and moved away slightly.

“I like you,” she said, now just a dark shape on the bed. “You’re funny. Let’s figure all these things out together!”

“I dunno about that!” Link said. “You’re supposed to be a bad guy.”

“Says who?”

“The president, who you supposedly know. He says that we should be looking for an unusual shadow and if we see anything like that, to notify the police immediately.”

“What!”

Midna sounded shocked--offended, even. 

“That’s not good! He must think that I’m...that I’m bad. Link! We have to find the president!”

“I’m not part of this.”

“Yes, you are! You are now!”

“I don’t think so.”

“Yes, yes, I think so! Look, Link...do you even know about the legend?”

“What legend…”

“Shut up and listen to my story, okay? This is a legend that has been passed down through the ages, from Hylian history to Twili history…”

_ The three sacred triangles of the Light Realm, the Triforce, were created by the three Goddesses who made Hyrule. Whoever holds the Triforce will have the deepest wish in their heart fulfilled. An evil person will corrupt the land, while a pure heart will bring prosperity.  _

_ The Triforce is made of three pieces; Wisdom, Courage, and Power. Three souls are bound to these pieces. Unfortunately, he who is bound to Power is an evil spirit. _

_ This evil spirit will return to Hyrule many times, only to be suppressed by the souls of Wisdom and Courage. _

_ However, one age to come will involve a fourth soul. The evil king will rise from the East, with his hands reaching between two worlds. To close the bridge between the world, the Light Realm will need a soul of Twilight to use the Triforce of Power and stop the evil king with the other two pieces of light. _

“What are you trying to say?” asked Link.

“I believe the evil king has appeared. He corrupted my chambermaid and she killed my parents--the king and queen of Twilight!”

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

“I have to save my people from this evil king, okay?

“Okay…still not sure what I can do.”

“I have my ideas. But look at it this way; if the evil king puts his hands on the Triforce, both of our worlds will be destroyed.”

“I guess…?”

“This is serious! Stop looking so confused.”

“Sorry, lady. It’s just you’re throwing a lot of weird stuff at me, and I’ve already had a bad day.”

“That’s just too bad! Every day matters! I need you to help guide me to the president. I’m going to hide in your shadow until we find him, okay?”

“Uh...okay. Wait, WHAT?”


End file.
